Valley Men Facing 40 Counts for Scamming Elderly Throughout L.A.

Two unlicensed contractors from the San Fernando Valley were charged today with scamming elderly victims throughout Los Angeles, including Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Northridge and Sherman Oaks, officials said.

Eldad Syton, 33, of Valley Village, and Yair Zilberman, 30, of Encino are facing more than 40 counts, including theft from elders and first-degree burglary.

Between 2012 and 2014, Syton would enter into contracts for pest extermination at the homes of elderly clients for a set fee but would then claim they had mold, termites or other problems, said Deputy District Attorney Michelle Dodd of the Elder Abuse Division in a statement.

Syton then would propose a new contract for large amounts of money for work never performed, she said. 

Likewise, Zilberman, who advertised for air-duct cleaning services, would purportedly convince elderly victims of other home-related issues and charge them thousands of dollars for work that was never done, Dodd alleged.

Zilberman also opened a line of credit without permission on behalf of one victim and forged several of the victim's checks, Dodd said.

The losses to the elderly victims defrauded by the two defendants totaled close to $500,000, she added. 

If convicted as charged Syton faces a 36-year prison term while Zilberman faces 36 years and four months. 

Bail for Syton has been set at $1.37 million and $1.275 million for Zilberman. 

The case is being investigated by multiple agencies including the California Department of Consumer Affairs, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Burbank Police Department, the Whittier Police Department and the Santa Monica Police Department.